About Us - Despatch Preparatory School

Our History

History of Despatch Preparatory Our school was established on the 11 April 1972 with a staff composite of 14 educators. The school started with a total of 357 learners, only 20 of which were English. The original school building was built at an amount of R400 000 which was considered a considerable price in 1972. At that time the building was structured to accommodate up to 450 learners. Originally the school was considered unnamed and would be called the Preparatory School of Despatch, the name stuck and eventually the school was christened as Despatch Preparatory School. It is interesting to note that the parents of the school fundraised to pay for all the hall chairs and the stage curtains. The school was specifically designed to accommodate 7 to 9 year old’s. At its inception the school was led by Mrs E.H.E.Steyn, whose lifelong dream it was to establish a school of this kind. The inspector that oversaw the opening process was astounded at the number of learners that the school had started with, commenting that it was unusual for a school to open with such a large amount of learners. The school song was originally from a biblical Psalm and was changed in 1976. The original school uniform was a peppermint green dress for girls and a peppermint green shirt for the boys, along with grey apparel. A competition was held in order to establish the school’s motto. The badge itself was designed by the then principal Mrs Steyn along with several other community members. The school was officially opened on the 23 March 1973 at a ceremony that included the town mayor. The school opened with a sports offerings including rugby, athletics, ballet, and art. The school became well known for its participation in art competitions and achieved many distinctions in this area. The staff composite of then 14 educators included one man, (Mr O.Olvier) which was considered unusual at the time. We have educated several celebrities including but not limited to, Rassie Erasmus (old Springbok and Springbok Coach), The school became well known for its concerts, holding its first one just 3 years after the official opening of the school, in 1975. This took place under the leadership of the then Principal Mrs Gouws. The school won the inter-school rugby trophy in 1977, after just 5 years in existence. Throughout the 80’s and 90’s the school become renowned for its concerts and arts festival participation producing some of the best results in the area. In 1991 the very first netball team was established. In 1995 the school’s numbers started increasing and an additional building was added to accommodate Grade R in 1998. School principals came and left mostly becoming seniors at the Department of Education. Miss E.H.E. Steyn 1972-1973 Miss A.F. Gouws 1973-1992 Mrs L.D.Francis 1992-1996 Mrs M.E.Keyter 1996-2007 Mrs H.Basson 2008-2017 Mrs M. Sachse 2017-Current An interesting fact; in addition to Mrs Sachse being a teacher, Departmental Head and then the Principal of our school, she was also one of the first learners of our school in 1972. The school was privileged enough to purchase its own mini-bus in 2013, which enabled learners to attend sporting events from then on. The school attempted a Guinness world record in April of 2017, which it achieved performing the largest traditional dance completed by a school, this was a massive event involving all staff and learners. This was the same year that the school started its first school newspaper that was run by Shenel van Rensburg and was the brainchild of the then principal Mrs Madelene Sachse. During Mrs Sachse’s time, due to her love for people, many initiatives were started such as games nights for parents, Grade R netball, physical public library visits, and meetings with our learner’s transportation providers. The school on the hill also started running a learnership program from 2016, where many student teachers were employed in the classes to assist educators, this initiative from Mrs Sachse became the largest student mentorship program amongst the schools of the area. In 2018 our school participated in an amazing TV competition showcasing local school choirs in which we hosted and received the award for 1st place junior choir. In the same year our school was able to appoint their first Deputy Principal, Mrs Adel de Lange. Throughout the 2010-2020’s era our school become known for sparky front line fundraising, which included locking our principal up in a fictional jail, snakes visiting the school, dunking the principal in ice, weight lifting competitions, radio interview and talks and dunking coaches in slime to name a few. A brand new Grade R block was built in 2019, including 3 classes on the outskirts of the school. This gave the Grade R’s the freedom to express themselves more freely on the playground. Between 2017-2023 a total of 5 pre-fab classrooms and 2 netball courts were built. Our school has supported many community projects over the years, ensuring our legacy is left in the town of Despatch. We have ensured that projects stay up and running for the greater good of the area. In the early 2020’s we adopted Khayamnandi Aftercare, Miracle Kids stimulation center, Kids Inc, ABET beginner readers and many more. Our 50th anniversary was celebrated in 2022, which was a festival of balloons and Disney characters bringing joy to the learners and the staff. Our first isiXhosa educator was employed in 2022 to teach in one of our English classes, Philangezwi Mrelane who had completed her educating practical at our school in the previous year. By 2023 the school had expanded to 608 learners, which included 4 English classes per grade and 1 Afrikaans. In 2023 the final arrangements were made to expand to a full primary school from Grade R-Grade7, and in 2024 the doors were opened for the first time to Grade 4 learners. This starting the dawn of a new era for Despatch Preparatory. During this time the school started their first ever computer and robotics classes. A brand new computer lab was built for this purpose which knocked down walls between two adjacent store rooms to accommodate the project. The best is yet to come…

Vision

To create a unique environment in our school for each learner to reach their full potential in order to lead a productive and fulfilled life.

Mission

Our mission is to continue and further develop our equitable and just education system, which will deliver high quality education to all.

Principal’s Message

Welcome to our school – a place where children are known, valued, and encouraged to become the very best version of themselves. At our school, we believe that every child deserves a safe, nurturing environment where learning is purposeful, expectations are clear, and potential is recognised. We are committed to providing a strong academic foundation while also developing character, confidence, and a love for learning. Our dedicated staff work with care and professionalism to ensure that each learner is supported academically, socially, and emotionally. We place great importance on respect, kindness, responsibility, and collaboration, as these values prepare our children not only for the next phase of their schooling, but for life beyond the classroom. We value our partnership with parents and believe that open communication and shared commitment are key to a child’s success. Together, we strive to create a school community where children feel secure, challenged, and proud to belong. We invite you to explore our website and learn more about the opportunities, values, and spirit that make our school a special place. Warm regards, Mrs. Sachse Principal, Despatch Preparatory School